by Lorie Lewis Ham
This is the second in our series featuring mystery podcasts! This week we chatted with mystery author Alexia Gordon who hosts The Cozy Corner mystery podcast. Alexia is the author of the Gethsemane Brown Mysteries.
KRL: How did you come up with the name for your podcast?
Alexia: I stepped into a pre-existing podcast, already named The Cozy Corner, that had lost its host before any episodes were produced. I added “with Alexia Gordon” to distinguish my podcast after I found several restaurants, B&Bs, an Instagram account, and a couple of old, non-mystery podcasts named Cozy Corner.
KRL: Why did you decide do make a podcast?
Alexia: I was invited to be a host by Pam Stack, producer of the Authors on the Air Global Radio Network. My podcast is part of that network. I’m a long-time podcast listener, mostly true crime. I’m also a long-time fan of cozy and traditional mysteries, which don’t seem to get as much attention as other mystery subgenres. I wanted to provide a platform for authors of the types of mysteries I read to find a wider audience.
KRL: Why a mystery podcast?
Alexia: Because I write and read mysteries and want to bring more readers to the genre.
KRL: How did you decide what content you would have in your podcast?
Alexia: Pam Stack specifically wanted to add a cozy, mystery-focused podcast to her network. I expanded that a bit to include traditional mysteries. The common theme is that these mysteries don’t contain any explicit/graphic sex, violence, or gore. I decided to do author interviews so listeners could hear from the authors themselves.
Alexia Gordon
KRL: Are there certain types of mysteries you prefer?
Alexia: Traditional (including historical), cozy, and Golden Age (mysteries written between World War I and World War II).
KRL: How do you decide who you will interview?
Alexia: Mostly, I ask friends and colleagues. A few guests contacted me, either directly or through their publicist, to ask to be on the show. Pam Stack sends catalogs from publishers and I find authors that way, too. My only criterion for guests is that they write books that fit with the podcast theme: no graphic sex or violence. I’m always looking for new guests.
KRL: How long have you had a podcast?
Alexia: For a year. My first episode aired April 22, 2019.
KRL: What do you like best about doing a podcast?
Alexia: Learning new things about guests, like what they did before they wrote mysteries and what their inspirations were, and people telling me they listened to the podcast and enjoyed it.
KRL: What has been the hardest?
Alexia: Editing. Hooray for Audacity.
KRL: How did you decide what platform you would use as a host for your podcast?
Alexia: The Authors on the Air Global Radio Network uses SoundCloud for all of its shows. I upload episodes to SoundCloud for distribution through the network. I also use AnchorFM which is free, easy to use for beginners, and automatically submits your podcast to multiple platforms, like Spotify, Google, and Apple.
KRL: Future goals?
Alexia: To set up a Patreon account and offer subscriber-only bonuses and incentives.
KRL: What makes your podcast different?
Alexia: It focuses on cozy and traditional mysteries, two subgenres that often don’t get the attention that other mystery subgenres do.
KRL: Any extra special episodes coming up?
Alexia: No unusual episodes. I have guests scheduled though the end of July 2020, so that means I’m now recruiting guests for season 3 (which starts in August 2020).
KRL: Where can we find your podcast?
Alexia: AnchorFM: anchor.fm/alexia-gordon, and SoundCloud: soundcloud.com/authorsontheair/sets/the-cozy-corner-with-alexia-gordon are the easiest ways. They have links to podcast listening platforms as well as the RSS feed for the show. The Cozy Corner with Alexia Gordon is available on Spotify, Apple, Google, Stitcher, Podbean, Overcast, and a few other podcatchers.
KRL: Do you have a website for your podcast?
Alexia: I have a brand new website: cozycornerwithalexia.com. The Home Page is up, but I’m still working on the Show Notes and other pages.
KRL: Do you have a newsletter? If so what goes in the newsletter and how often is it released?
Alexia: I have an author newsletter that features news about my books, my podcast, and a spotlight on other people, places, or events of interest to crime fiction fans. I also run periodic giveaways for subscribers. It goes out about once a month. I missed March because the world fell off its axis. People can sign up at: mailchi.mp/alexiagordon/poc2pov.
KRL: Has how you are doing the podcast changed at all in the current crisis?
Alexia: The podcast hasn’t changed much. Since my guests are scattered all over the country, all of my interviews, except for a handful done in-person at conferences, were done remotely, using Zoom. I had planned to do two interviews in person at Malice Domestic, so when this year’s Malice Domestic was canceled, I rescheduled those interviews to Zoom. Other than that, I’m recording the way I’ve been recording.
KRL: Anything else you would like to add?
Alexia: A new episode of The Cozy Corner with Alexia Gordon airs every other Wednesday. Previous episodes are always available to listen to on several podcast listening platforms. And I’m always on the lookout for authors of traditional and cozy mysteries to interview.
Watch for more mystery podcast interviews over the next several months and don’t miss last month’s interview with It Was a Dark and Stormy Book Club Podcast.
Check out other mystery articles, reviews, book giveaways & mystery short stories in our mystery section. And join our mystery Facebook group to keep up with everything mystery we post, and have a chance at some extra giveaways.
If you enjoy podcasts, be sure listen to our mystery podcast Mysteryrat’s Maze, where mystery short stories and first chapters are read by actors! They are also available on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, and Spotify. A new episode goes up next week!
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